Club News
STATE SELECTION: FIELD & GAME NEWS
A glorious clear and very warm morning last Sunday the 29th greeted those shooters who had come from far and wide for the first State Selection shoot of The NSW Field and Game Federation calendar year at the Bermagui Field & Game Range. 72 shooters from Ardlethan, Bermagui, Canberra, Cooma, Dubbo, Mudgee, Port Phillip, Sydney and Temora made the great effort to support the Bermagui club at this major event.With this important shoot very generously sponsored by our very own Bermagui Country Club, a very tough course was set by the dedicated band of committee members and non-shooting helpers from Bermagui, and those present did their very best to post a reasonable score to try and get some points towards state selection. The committee had decided that only those who were not shooting this weekend should be involved in target setting so that no shooter had any advantage over another by seeing the targets prior to the event. This proved to be the best and fairest to all shooters.
Some of our travelling shooters came a few days early to sample the great Bermagui weather, do some fishing, experience the Bermagui hospitality, and also put some dollars back into our business community to help the long term survival of our great town. With some very ordinary starts by some of the better shooters, they settled in for the day over the two course 100 targets on offer, and by the lunchtime Barbeque, a pattern was emerging as to who was handling which side of the hill the best. At day's end we had shoot offs in almost all categories and from that the winners emerged.
After the totals were added up and scores double checked the Sub Juniors Division was 1st Jarrod Williams 74 (Mudgee), 2nd Mathew Wilesmith 59 (Temora), 3rd Mark Wilesmith 58 (Temora).
Juniors Division was won by Jarrod Ringland 39 (Bermagui) and with no competition he was in the prizes just for making the effort.
Ladies Division was well won by Kathryn Saddler on 61 (Sydney), 2nd Rebecca Wilesmith 51 (Temora), 3rd Jan Redman 50 (Bermagui).
Super Veterans was well contested with 1st Dennis Coaker on 71 (Dubbo) taking the sash, with Bob Duncan 2nd with 70 (Bermagui) and 3rd Col O'Brien on 56 (Bermagui).
Veterans had a good rollup with Steve Newcombe in 1st with 77 (Sydney), 2nd to John Sidoti 76 (Dubbo), 3rd Roger Beaton 63 (Sydney).
'C' Grade went to a visiting shooter from Sydney (1st time at the course) Vassilios Lialiaris with 61, 2nd to John Gray 53 (Bermagui), 3rd to Patrick Jubb 52 (Bermagui). 'B' Grade 1st was Robert Briscas (Sydney) on 65+6 after a shoot off with 2nd placed Terry "Curls" Thistleton 65+4 (Cooma), and Craig Field 3rd on 62 (Bermagui).
'A' Grade was taken out by Peter Rea on 72 (Dubbo), 2nd Michael Munro 71 (Ardlethen), 3rd Rodney Carr (Dubbo) 70+7 after a shoot off with Anthony Williams (Mudgee) on 70+5.
'AA' Grade 1st was Andrew Bell (Sydney) with 75+8 after a shoot off with 2nd Brett Inch (Dubbo) on 75+4, and 3rd to Steve Payne 75 (Mudgee).
The well deserved High Gun for this event was another top shooter from Mudgee in Peter Kay who recorded an excellent score of 77+9 in a shoot off with Stephen Newcombe on 77+5 to take the Overall Sash.
This brings us to the final competition event for the day which was The Adrian Hayes Memorial Teams event. With teams nominating from Mudgee, Bermagui, Sydney, Cooma, Ardlethan/Temora and Dubbo, the race was on to see which team could get their name on this prestigious trophy. With some excellent scores all round, Dubbo Team comprising Peter Kay, John Sidoti, Peter Rea & Dennis Coaker were too good and won it by a seven target margin from the Mudgee Team of Steve Payne, Anthony Williams, Jarrod Williams & Reno Morganti in 2nd place. Equal 3rd was Bermagui One and Sydney about 20 targets behind.
All of the prizes, sashes and medals were presented by the Chairman of the Board of the Bermagui Country Club, Mr. Geoff Vercoe, and the President of NSW State Federation Trevor Heise, along with President Nev Brady, and were happily received by all participants. Bermagui Field & Game would like to sincerely thank all of the winners for their participation and we hope that you all enjoyed the targets and the renowned hospitality of the Bermagui Field & Game club.
To all of those Bermagui people who put in the big effort to ensure our visiting shooters where well catered for and happy, we say a very big thank you. To Shelley Craig and Caz Radford, we are very proud of your effort in keeping the office ticking over so smoothly, a huge job on the day done to perfection.
To the excellent Chefette's, the cooks, salad makers, the fish suppliers, oyster openers, the cake and biscuit makers all, and to the trappers, what a job, and we think everyone would have been very impressed with your supreme efforts.
After all of the official presentations were made, President Nev Brady made a very moving speech and the presentation from the committee and members of a beautifully engraved Pewter Plate and a bottle of the prized Bermagui Field & Game Special Aged Scotch Whisky to club stalwarts Neil "Baz" & Carole "Caz" Radford who are leaving the district, moving up the coast closer to the family unit.
In his emotional reply, "Baz" thanked everyone in the club and all those that he and "Caz" had the pleasure to call fiends, and thanked everyone for making them so welcome way back in 2003 to the Toast of the Coast, Bermagui Field & Game Club, and said that they would still make the effort to visit and would maintain their long term friendships and club affiliations.
The day ended with some relaxation for those that had worked so hard to make this event the success it was and planning is already underway for another State Shoot should Bermagui be asked to host it.
For all detailed results, photo's and goings on at Bermagui Field & Game, please visit the website at "bermaguifieldandgame.info" for all the information. Cheers.
January President's Report
I hope everybody had a very Merry Christmas and a safe and happy New Year, it sure seems to take the wind out of your sails as you get older. A big thankyou to "Santa" who sponsored our Christmas shoot, once again it was a wonderful day, with some top targets, prizes and lots of fun had by all. Good to see 9 juniors at this shoot and we hope they continue to role up in such good numbers throughout 2012 as Mark & Jan Raabe have kindly donated a magnificent trophy and sponsoship for our junior shooter of the year.
Our first shoot in January was sponsored by Phil & Shelley Craig (side by side) and Classic Race & Performance Engineering (Under & Overs). Phil set a very testy couple of courses which challenged even our best shooters, but there was nothing out beyond 35 metres so if you missed targets it was your own fault. Our next shoot is the first NSW State selection shoot for 2012 proudly sponsored by Federation and the Bermagui Country Club. The course will be set up by a group of dedicated volunteers who have kindly forfeited their days shooting in order to set up 2 ranges and run the shoot. The club is extremely indebted to this group of members.
At the set-up on the Saturday prior to the shoot we do NOT want people who are shooting in the State Selection out at the range helping as the committee feels this would give our local shooters a decided advantage over the rest of the field, and with shooters coming from as far away as Dubbo, Mudgee. Sydney etc. to support our club and try to gain State Selection we feel this is the fairest and best way to approach the situation. Bear in mind this is only for this shoot and at any normal shoot members will be more than welcome at Saturday set-up.
Good too see Carmel Diss out and about and on the road to recovery, also Pat Tennant who is progressing in leaps and bounds. Donny Redman seems to be back firing on all cylinders while Ian Barklamb has returned to Canberra hospital with a few ongoing problems. Get well quick " Barkers ", from all at the club.
This month will also see Neil & Carole Radford have their final shoot at the club and it will be sad to see them go as they have been tireless workers for the club over many years and have taken on roles within the club from "boot studder" to "President" all with great distinction. They have represented our club at local, interstate and overseas shoots and Caz has even won state sashes. All I can say on behalf of the club is "Thanks Gang" and may the futrue hold great happiness and fond memories of Bermi Field & Game.
Till next month Shoot Staight & Often. Nev B.
First Shoot of 2012
After a night of wind and rain, Sunday morning saw more showers to greet the band of 48 shooters who turned up to for the first shoot of 2012. The course was set and checked, the shooters were ready, and after some discussions on the weather, the shoot got under way on the two course layout. With shooters from Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra, Cooma, Wollongong, Eden, Karratha (WA) and Bibbenluke, they took to the course to try their luck. With some of the targets very challenging the shooters got a bit rattled and some dropped some early targets to put them behind the eight ball. With the weather improving all the time, the scores also improved and in the end there were some very good scores shot over the day, but still no 25's. After the scores were tallied and the handicaps added on, the winner of the Under and Over section sponsored by club member Bruce Arthurson was Dan Bruinsma in A Grade, followed by Craigh Hurst and Nev Brady. B Grade was well won by our oldest club shooter in Col O'Brien with a great score, followed by Richard Seears from Cooma in 2nd place, with Christopher Raabe taking 3rd. C Grade was hotly contested with visiting shooter from Melbourne, Jonathon White, taking out 1st place with Graeme Tunbridge 2nd and Colin Brownlie 3rd. The Side by Side event was contested by an ever growing number of shooters with 18 lining up for this handicap event generously sponsored by club stalwarts Phil & Shelley Craig. When the scores were checked and the handicaps added, and with prizes paying from one to ten, the overall sash winner of the event was Mark Corbett from Cooma just a few shots ahead of 2nd place getter Ron Manly, with 3rd to Darren Redman, 4th Neil "Baz" Radford, 5th Phil Craig, 6th Mark Raabe, 7th Craig Field, 8th Roger Budd, 9th Terry Thisleton, and 10th place to Pat Jubb. Great prizes, great rollup, great food and a great shoot. Our thanks go to everyone who pitched in at short notice to make this a day to remember, and a fitting opening to the 2012 shooting season. Next shoot is the first State Selection shoot hosted by the Bermagui Field and Game Club, and sponsored by the Bermagui Country Club, on Sunday the 29th January, and is expected to bring many fine shooters from all over the State, and will also bring welcome income to Bermagui businesses while they are here. Pre-Nominations are essential for this event and they close on Sunday 15th January. Nomination forms are available from the club Treasurer via the club website. So for the nomination forms, more club news, results, photos, upcoming events and other information about the club, please go to our website at "bermaguifieldandgame.info", or contact President Nev Brady on 6493 3103 during office hours.